The NHL's free agency feeding frenzy will start on July 1. That's the date when contracts expire and teams can start targeting unsigned players with their offers. Last year one of the key signings saw Milan Lucic join forces with the Edmonton Oilers. This year there are some big names that will be on the market. However, they are not all necessarily going to move as many might simply re-sign with the team that they've been with.

Joe Thornton, Jarome Iginla washed up?

Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks is one of the bigger names in the free-agent market.

However, having a famous hockey name doesn't necessarily mean that he's a hot commodity at this point in his career. The 37-year-old center had a season to forget with San Jose in 2016-17. In 79 appearances he had just seven goals. The assists were still there, but 50 total points in 79 games make him a questionable pick-up unless a team gets a bargain price and a short-term deal.

Jarome Iginla, a former NHL Most Valuable Player, is another big name that will be on the market. Iginla has spent the bulk of his career with the Calgary Flames, but most recently he was a short-term member of the Los Angeles Kings. Iginla played 80 games last season with the Kings and the Colorado Avalanche combined.

For his efforts, he had just 14 goals and 13 assists for a total of 27 points. Coincidentally, Iginla turns 40 years old on July 1 and that might serve to highlight that he is approaching retirement after originally being drafted way back in 1995. A team that is interested in Iginla might only be looking for a cheap and short-term deal.

Kevin Shattenkirk, dodgy plus/minus?

Kevin Shattenkirk appears to be a good potential pick-up in the 2017 NHL free agency market. He played for both the St. Louis Blues and the Washington Capitals this last season. A defenseman, his scoring numbers aren't the most important thing to look at. However, he did tally 56 points in 80 games - not a bad total by any stretch for a player in his position.

In fact, he finished fourth in points per game for his position. What could be noted with Shattenkirk is that he did go -7 for plus/minus despite playing for two strong teams over the last season.

Former first-round pick Sam Gagner is in the mix for an improved salary. He was part of the Columbus Blue Jackets last season, helping that team make the post-season. After a terrible season with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2015-16, Gagner had 50 points in 81 games with Columbus last year. This is a player that could add to a contending team's depth.

When it comes to goaltenders, there's Ryan Miller on the market. He will turn 37 years old in July and that makes him a risky acquisition. He has played for Vancouver these last three years and his numbers are still good enough to start with a lot of teams as he posted a 2.80 goals-against average and .914 save percentage last season.

The question with Miller is when does his production start tapering off?

There are numerous other free agents as well. As such, July 1st promises to be a huge day in NHL news. The signings that will take place that day and thereafter promise to stimulate trades, as well as the league's GMs, will be loading up for a run to next year's playoffs or offloading salary to rebuild.